


the drink you spilled all over me

by theredvipers



Series: the way that i feel [1]
Category: John Wick (Movies), Ocean's (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Just Roll With It, M/M, Pre-Relationship, or: that AU where Danny Ocean is actually Daniil Tarasov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-08 22:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14703771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredvipers/pseuds/theredvipers
Summary: Viggo nods. He wants whoever he’s going to name alive. John knows that can’t mean any good for the poor bastard. “Oh, make no mistake, John. You can’t hurt this one. You just have to pick him up, but he’s hard to fetch. Hard to find, too. God knows I know.” he then hands John a file. It’s not big, barely ten pages in a folder, and when John opens it up, it feels like the name is staring up at him: Daniel Ocean.





	the drink you spilled all over me

**Author's Note:**

> yes, i went down this crackship's rabbithole. yes, i am a dumb bitch with no taste who will never change, never improve, and that is a promise.
> 
> title comes from lorde's ribs. this was supposed to be a chaptered work, but i wrote the rest of it using another tense, and i didn't want the change to look so abrupt i guess. the rest of it is coming up soon because my regular life and my danny/john fanfic life have collided in a horrible fire.
> 
> so. this came about bc i was talking to my friend lizzy (my co-writer on the danny/john series that started this madness, actually. go check her out: alpacinoed on here) and i went "hey haha what if danny... but he's viggo's son" and as we started talking and i started researching just for the shits and gigs. this actually fit. now, i am aware that viggo and danny are close in age (or at least their actors were) but we're just going to pretend they aren't so this works out. i'm sorry.

“I need you to fetch someone.” Viggo says as soon as John steps into his office. Viggo’s bodyguard leaves them, as he often does whenever Viggo calls for John.

This is not what Viggo usually does, though. He never explains. He just gives John a name, and John goes. “Fetch…”

Viggo nods. He wants whoever he’s going to name _alive_ . John knows that can’t mean any good for the poor bastard. “Oh, make no mistake, John. You can’t hurt this one. You just have to pick him up, but he’s hard to fetch. Hard to find, too. God knows _I_ know.” he then hands John a file. It’s not big, barely ten pages in a folder, and when John opens it up, it feels like the name is staring up at him: _Daniel Ocean_.

It sounds like a made up name, and he says as much, to which Viggo replies, “Because it is. Listen, I just need you to get him. He gets out in a week. You can go now, wait for him. Tell him who needs him. Once he’s here, I’ll explain it to him.”

John nods, holds onto the folder, and he goes.

-

It’s easy to tell, by the look on Daniel Ocean’s face, that he wasn’t expecting John, of all people, to show up. “Mr. Ocean.”

Daniel is a handsome man, and there is something familiar about him. Maybe he used to work for Viggo and retired for some reason, maybe he just is someone Viggo knows and John has never seen in his entire life. Daniel frowns. “You’re… John Wick…” he says, and it sounds like it was meant to stay a thought. John is usually careful so his name doesn’t get out to people not involved with their world, which means Daniel does have some sort of connection to it, after all. “You’re here for Viggo.” Daniel deadpans.

John nods. Daniel sighs. “I told that old man to keep low contact. Did something happen to Iosef?” before John can reply, he gets a slightly concerned look on his face. “Is Viggo…”

“No, no.” John answers, “He just told me to come for you, and to take you to him.”

“I don’t suppose he told you why he wants to see me,” Daniel says, and at John’s nod, sighs again. “Typical of the old man. I also don’t suppose you’d be convinced of letting me walk.”

“I’m afraid I can’t.” John says, doesn’t miss the way Daniel’s shoulders tense up a bit. John is used to it. Being the Baba Yaga comes with a reputation, and a price to pay.

“Alright, alright. God. Don’t have to tell me twice.” Daniel says, following John and staring at the car like it’s offended him in the worst possible way. Then, he does look at John in the eye, and says, in perfect russian: “ _No one wants to anger the Baba Yaga, yes?_ ”

So John was right in thinking Danny has something to do with Viggo and the bratva in general. He politely smiles, knows that, on him, it looks more like a grimace.

“First person that isn’t surprised about me being able to speak russian.” Daniel says, getting into the car. “I’m not just a pretty face. There’s more to me than that.” he winks at John from the passenger’s seat, and then settles into it, a bit more relaxed. Daniel doesn’t know it, but he’s also one of the first people to ever relax in John’s presence. He’s still wary, and John can tell, but he’s not nearly as tense as he was when he first saw John.

It’s fifteen minutes before Daniel speaks up again, “You’re a man of few words, aren’t you.” he doesn’t wait for an answer, “I mean. I guess the Baba Yaga wasn’t going to be one to talk someone’s ears off, but, you know…”

John doesn’t know what to say, as is often the case. He’s not totally hopeless in social situations, but he’s never been any good at them, either, so he is honest, and answers, “I really don’t know what to talk to you about, Mr. Ocean. Viggo didn’t tell me much besides your name and location.”

He can feel the weight of Daniel’s gaze on him. “Hm, I guess I know why.” then he adds, “Drop the Mr. Ocean. Danny is fine. Daniel if you must, but that also makes me sound old. It’s not even my real name.”

John tries it out, “Alright, Danny.”

“You don’t even wanna know why I got in?” and John knows that kind of information was in the file Viggo handed him, but he’s never been one to seek out information about his targets. Makes the contracts easier, and less personal. If Viggo handed him a file, it’s probably things he wanted John to be aware of. This guy could also be an assassin as far as John knows.

“None of my business.” John says, polite and impersonal, the way he talks to almost everyone.

Danny chuckles. “I like your attitude, but I also feel like sharing with the class,” Danny admits. “I violated my parole. And I got in because I got caught trying to steal stuff.” he shrugs. “Got caught stealing Incan matrimonial head masks, actually, and because I got out of the state, I had to finish serving my time.”

“That is unfortunate.” John says, not really knowing what to do with the information, and surprised at the fact Danny is willing to share so much about himself.

Danny laughs, “Oh, Viggo knows how to pick them. You’re funny, John Wick.” Danny then continues, unprompted. “I wasn’t caught for robbing three casinos, but I have to finish my sentence for violating my parole.”

“Three casinos?” John can’t help but ask. He hadn’t heard of any kind of robbery like that. It would’ve made the national news, at the very least, if not the international ones.

Danny nods. “At the same time.” he winks again, “If you ever need anything stolen, I’m your guy.”

Danny talks all the way to Viggo’s place. It’s not annoying, quite the contrary, actually. His voice is quite soothing, and the stories he tells are entertaining. It’s also nice because it’s been a while since John had a lengthy conversation with someone who isn’t Marcus, and the conversation also doesn’t revolve around his job and all the ugly perks it comes with.

“I haven’t seen this place in almost twenty years.” Danny says, sounding yet again like he means it to himself and John simply happens to be there. “A lot has changed.”

John nods as he walks them to Viggo’s office. He doesn’t need to knock, as the bodyguard steps back. Danny nods at the bodyguard, and even greets him. “Evgeni.”

The other man doesn’t look surprised. “Sir.”

Once they step inside, Danny puts himself in front of John, almost like a shield. It’s amusing, because if anything, John is always the shield, but Danny seems to be doing it more out of reflex, probably familiar with Viggo’s temper.

Viggo stares at the both of them, and gets closer, but Danny doesn’t back down, and then, Viggo speaks up. “Danya,” he says, then opens up his arms. Danny gets a bit closer, but he doesn’t do anything else, and then Viggo steps up, takes Danny’s face between his hands, and kisses him on both cheeks, an affectionate gesture he used to do only when Iosef was younger.

John starts thinking. Danny speaks nearly-perfect Russian, with the slightest tell of an accent to it. Danny had called Viggo ‘old man’. Viggo calls him _Danya_ , and welcomes him with open arms, like they’ve known each other for years. He isn’t even that affectionate with his own brother, and the closest he’s ever come to showing this kind of affection has been with Iosef--

His suspicions are confirmed when Danny smiles tightly, and says, “Father. It has been a while.”

John hopes Danny doesn’t notice his own reaction.

“It sure has. You’ve gotten yourself in quite some trouble from what I’ve gathered.” Viggo says. He pats Danny’s cheeks, and lets go, chooses for his hands to remain on Danny’s shoulders. “ _You only come visit your father when I play fetch_ .” he says in russian, quite severely. “ _All this could be yours, if you stayed._ ”

“ _I am aware, father._ ” Danny replies, his russian as perfect as Viggo’s. “ _I don’t think Iosef would like to hear you speak like that._ ”

“Pah, Iosef!” Viggo says, then he seems to remember John is also in the room, and takes his hands off Danny’s shoulders, not before he straightens out the collar of his shirt. “Well done, John. I hope this one didn’t give you trouble.”

John shakes his head, not sure of how to navigate around this whole thing. He’s been working for Viggo for years, and he’s never even heard a whisper of Viggo’s other, older son. There must be a pretty good reason it never got out, but John’s not really that curious. The job is done, and now he knows.

He has to admit he is intrigued by Danny. This man who doesn’t fear Viggo, who pretends to trust John, and robbed three casinos without getting caught.

“Then…” he says, making his way to the door.

Viggo raises a hand. John stops in his tracks. “You need to be here, John. You’re going to help Daniil with what I’m asking of him.”

Danny rolls his eyes. “I’d rather you called me Danny, or Danya, if you have to call me anything. Daniil is so…”

“It is your name,” Viggo retorts. Danny rolls his eyes again, but Viggo either pretends to not notice or decides to ignore it. “Sit, both of you.”

Danny isn’t as quick as John is, but then, he also looks like he would rather be anywhere but here.

“ _I told you that whatever you wanted stolen, to tell me. You didn’t have to fetch me. The others are probably worried._ ” Danny says before Viggo can keep talking.

Viggo shoots him a look, but his expression doesn’t betray any emotion. “ _You can call them as soon as we are done here. Something very precious was taken from us._ ”

John had heard something of the sort, but Viggo hadn’t asked for him to retrieve it, and John usually doesn’t - if ever - do those kinds of jobs. He’s better at killing than he is anything else, after all, and if Danny is as good a thief as he’s made it sound, it makes sense Viggo would only want the best to retrieve whatever it is he’s lost.

“ _Let us not waste time. Danya, do you remember your grandfather’s Fabergé?_ ”

John can’t see Danny’s expression, but he does hear a gasp die out in his throat. “Y _ou have a location?_ ” he asks, voice full of determination. Viggo nods sternly. “ _I need to contact my team. I need guns, intel_ \--”

“I am afraid that will not be possible.” Viggo retorts.

“Father--”

“ _You were born to this world, Danya. You know how it is. How we work. Do you want to drag your friends into this? Rusty? That little pickpocket you got out of the street?_ ”

Danny remains silent. “ _No. You will work with my team, and with John._ ” Viggo then switches to english. “In fact, John will now act as your assigned bodyguard.”

“I don’t need a babysitter, father. I think I’m old enough to know I should eat three times a day and go to bed by nine.” Danny clears his throat. “No offense, Mr. Wick.”

“John,” John whispers back.

“No one fucks with John, so they won’t fuck with you. You think your little three casinos stint was hard to pull? You can’t begin to imagine the security around this egg. And with good reason--”

“Yes, yes, our great great grandfather or whoever stole it from a tsar himself. I’ve heard the story. I know how much a Fabergé egg is worth.” Danny then gets up. “If you’ll have me work with your team, fine. But we do it my way. I need them to listen to what I say.”

Viggo nods. “I will give John all the information you need.”

-

“It’s never been a secret, I just didn’t want any part of it, not even during high school.” Danny explains, once they’re walking to the car. John hadn't asked, but Danny seems to be one of those people who like to make small talk, enjoys it, even.

As Danny’s assigned bodyguard, he needs to take him to the safe house he’ll be staying at - _I don’t want to be under the same roof as Iosef, papa_ , he had said, not pleading, but as an explanation, and whatever the reason, John understood. Iosef had all the cruelty needed to lead the bratva, and none of Viggo’s prudence or sense of justice; he was probably very aware of the threat Danny represented, and he was probably already planning a way to try and get rid of said threat. Viggo had nodded tightly, and then he’d sent them off. It was also the first time Danny had called Viggo anything but _father_. “Well, they do say that all the roads lead to Rome. First time I almost got booked, I knew someday Vi--my father would call on me again.”

John nods. These are the kinds of situation in which he doesn’t know what to say or do, but reassure whoever he’s listening to that he is, indeed, paying attention, but he gets Danny. For people like them - born in violence, to violence - there is no true out. There rarely, if ever, is.

“Sorry you got stuck on babysitting duty, big guy.” Danny says while they drive. “But I have to admit I feel a lot safer with the Baba Yaga as my shadow.”

 _Safe, not afraid_ , John thinks. Danny is… _weird._ Peculiar? But then, John has to remember he was born in this, he just got out before he could become even more involved, but for a son of Viggo Tarasov, there is no such thing as not-at-all-involved.

“I’m… glad.” John says, just so the silence doesn’t hang heavy between them. Danny smiles again, but now he looks tired. John supposes it has been quite the day for him; as soon as he gets out of prison, he has to meet with his father, who is asking something of him, dragging him back into a life he never wanted or asked for.

“Hm. Don’t worry too much about it.” Danny says as if reading his mind, then pats him on the back. Gentle, like they’ve known each other for years. He’s one of the first people who’s shown John anything but fear or fury, or a combination of both. It’s new… and not unwelcomed. “So, you’ve been working for Viggo for what, ten years, give or take?”

John shrugs. For someone in his line of work, time matters when it comes to deadlines. He doesn’t remember when he started working for Viggo, only that it’s been a while.

“He really never mentioned me. The old bastard can keep a secret when it’s good for him.” Danny adds, “You’ve met Iosef? Annoying little shit, that one. My brother, I know, but annoying nonetheless.”

“I’ve never met Iosef,” John replies sincerely. He’s heard of the kid, but Viggo doesn’t make an habit out of dragging the kid around. He knows he’s with Marcus most of the time. Viggo has never asked John to be Iosef’s bodyguard. _Boogeymen don’t make the best babysitters._

And yet he’s entrusted John with his eldest son.

There must be a reason, John imagines, why Viggo’s oldest son is virtually unheard of. Maybe it’s succession. Maybe Danny has made enough of a name for himself that Viggo’s enemies finding out about him would bring only trouble. Viggo must have his reasons, and Danny must have his, too, and the arrangement seems to have worked out pretty well for them, so John decides to not think about it any more than he has to.

“Are you also staying?” Danny asks once they arrive. The place is full of guards, and there must be even more guards in the nearby buildings. Danny and Viggo haven’t seen each other for a long time, but Viggo wouldn’t leave his would-be heir by himself. If he wanted Danny dead - which he probably doesn’t - he would have sent John to do the deed.

John opens the door, and lets Danny in first. “I suppose I am.” Viggo had assigned him as a full-time bodyguard, after all. It’s not like there is much to do in his own house, or that he has any other business to attend to. Viggo hadn’t whispered a name when they’d left.

Danny nods to himself, leaves his coat on a couch. This place is small, but there must be at least three bedrooms. John supposes there is no need for it to be cozy if Danny is only staying for as long as it takes him to steal back the egg. “Good. Good.” Danny says. “I just… I don’t really trust anyone that works for my father.” he pauses, and then continues, “But you, hm. I guess there must be something about you, even though my father says boogeymen are not made to guard.” Danny shrugs. “Are you hungry?”

Danny calls a pizza place and orders food for each and every single man guarding this place. “I hope you like pepperoni,” he says, handing John a plate with two slices on it. “I wanted some _borscht._ It’s been years since I had anything like it, but I didn’t want to ask for a cook or anything like that, and I don’t really feel up to cooking, you know?” he says, biting into his own slice.

John feels like he should say something, and he does, “Pizza is fine.”

“So…” Danny says, even though the silence between them isn’t uncomfortable, even for virtual strangers. “Have you always been a hitman? Assassin? If you don’t mind me asking.”

John shakes his head. “I used to be in the marines.”

“Oh, well, I guess you learned something.” Danny chuckles. “That was a joke, by the way.”

John stares, but the corners of his mouth pull up against his will, and Danny chuckles again. “Well, now that you ask, I’ve been a thief my whole life,” Danny raises his coke can in a mock-toast.  “Not my whole life, but I met Rusty when we were kids, and it went from there.” Danny shrugs. “I guess normal life was never going to cut it. I thought I wanted the white picket fence thing, the whole works, but I guess I was wrong. Maybe there is no out of this.” he vaguely gestures at everything around them, the product of Viggo’s work. The reflect of what the bratva does.

John hums thoughtfully. He’s never given it much thought, the way out of this life. It’s what he’s known for a while now, what he’ll know until Viggo lets him retire. It sounds like Danny tried, but his talents, if they can be called that, were put to use to something else. He makes a mental note to read Danny’s file. It hadn’t been extensive, but there must be some information on him, at least. Something to fill the gaps from when Danny graduated high school and then left his father’s home.

Then, he reminds himself that he is but a bodyguard at Viggo’s service. An assassin that will go back to hearing whispered names and making sure they are no more. After this, he won’t see Danny again.

So there is no point.

John reads Danny’s file that same night.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading my nonsense!!! any kind of feedback is appreciated.


End file.
